Convertible seat and berth for cars



(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1-. J. KREHBIEL. CONVERTIBLE SEAT AND BERTHFOB. CARS.

Patented May 23, 1893.

7 Aug;

(a sums c0. wcmuma. msnmarom b c,

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. KREHBIEL. CONVERTIBLE SEAT AND BERTH FOR CARS.

No. 498,013; v Patented May 23, 1.893.

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"m: uonms PETERS co. PHOTO-LYING WASHWGYON o c (No Model) 4 Sheets-Sheet3.

J. KREHBIEL. GONVERTIBLE SEAT AND BBRTH FOR CARS.

Patented May 23, 1893.

m: NORRIS PETERS co. PHOTO-LITMQ, WASHINGTON, 0 c,

4Sheets-Sheet 4.

(No Model.)

J. KREHBIEL. CONVERTIBLE SEAT AND BERTH FOR CARS- No. 498,013. PatentedMay 23, R193.

.Z'h/Ven/tm- Jaw 116767022032 I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN KREHBIEL, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

CONVERTIBLE SEAT AND BERTH FOR CARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 498,013, dated May 23,1893.

Application filed September 13. 1892. EJerial No.445,748. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN KREHBIEL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Convertible Seats andBerths for Railway Use, of which the following is a specification,reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in a convertibleseat and berth for railway cars.

The invention consistsin so constructing a seat that it is movable inthe car, that is, adapted to be adjusted to different positions for dayuse and so constructed that two opposite seats may be connected togetherand be converted into a sleeping berth or berths for night use.

The invention further consists in the peculiar construction of the partswhereby the berths, bothupper and lower are constructed from each pairof seats, and further in the peculiar construction, arrangement andcombination of the various parts, all as more fully hereinafterdescribed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved seat. Fig.2 is a similar side elevation showing the two opposite seats connectedtogether and arranged as upper and lower berths. Fig. 3 is a bottom planview of the upper berth. Fig. 4 is a perspective View of one of theseats, showing it arranged as made up for a berth, with the mattress ofthe lower section removed. Fig. 5 is a detached perspective view of thehinge and elevating device for the seat back when used as the upperberth. Fig. 6 is a detached perspective View of the tension device forthe securing bolt of the seat. Fig. 7 is a vertical, central,longitudinal section through the seat. Fig. Sis a horizontal section online mm in Fig. 2, the lower berth being made up. Fig 9 is a detachedperspective view showing the manner of attaching the rubber cloth coverfor the lower berth and Fig. 10 is a similar view of the upper berth.

Heretofore railway cars designed for day and night use have beenconstructed with stationary seats which were convertible into berths. Inmost cases the upper berth was formed bya hinged section in the upperpart of the car.

My invention broadly consists in making so-called chair cars, 2'. e., acar having movable seats, convertible into a sleeping car, and in thepeculiar construction of a convertible seat and berth:

1 is a seat frame having the usual back 2 and arms 3. This seat frame issupported preferably upon casters 4. It also has prefcrably but alimited movement in the car. To effect this limited movement I employ aclamping bolt 5 (Fig. 7) passing through a slot 6 in the bottom of thecar and through the bottom of the seat frame, having a clam ping nut 7at the upper end which bears upon a thick rubber washer 8, which in turnbears upon the plate 9 pivoted at one end to the seat frame.

10 is a shaft journaled in suitable bearings and extending beneath plate9. It is provided with an enlargement or cam 11 beneath the plate 9 anda squared portion at the end to which a crank (not shown) may be appliedto turn the same. The effect of turning the shaft is to press the cam 11against the under side of the plate 9 and to press the rubber washer 8against the nut 7, clamping the seat firmly in its adjusted position. Inthis condition of the parts the seat may be turned upon its pivot, butcannot he slid longitudinally of the slot 6. The seat may thus be turnedtoward the window or toward the aisle or two adjacent seats may be madeto face each other, thus for day use making practically a chair car ofdesirable construction. When the cam is turned downward so as to loosenthe washer the seat may be moved longitudinally of the slot as well asbeing turned on its pivot and thus giving further adjustment fordifferent arrangements of the seats in the car. It is preferable to havethe seat clamped in any of its adjusted positions so as topreventrattling of the bolt and connections.

12 is a seat back which is provided with an upholstering 13, whichupholstering is so constructed as to leave an extension 14. at the end.This extension when in use as a seat projects into the body portion ofthe seat frame, as shown in Fig. 7. The seat back'is provided with ahooked plate 15 which engages with a horizontal pin at the top of thebar 16 which slidingly engages into a groove 17 on the inner face of theback 2 of the seat.

18 are straps forming guides for the bar 16, this construction formingadetachable hinge between the frame back and seat back, so that thelatter may be detached for cleaning purposes the same as the seatproper.

19 is a rack formed on the inner faces of the bars 16 and 20 are pinionsmeshing with the racks secured to the shaft 21, which extends throughthe frame and is provided with a squared end 22, to which a crank may beattached for turning the shaft for raising and lowering the bar 16, thusenabling me to raise and lower the hinged end of the seat back to adjustit when it is in use as the upper berth, as shown in Fig. 4.

23 is the upholstered seat proper resting upon the seat frame in theusual manner.

Within the body of the seat is removably secured the end mattresssection 24, so constructed that it may be turned with its end portion 25extending upward parallel with the front of the seat, as shown in Fig.7. The front of the seat may be removable or may be hinged to the seatframe and the form which I preferably employ is that shown in Fig. 4, inwhich the front is made in two parts 44, connected at the ends by hinges26.

When the seat is to be made into a berth, the two opposite seats aremoved to face each other and tightly clamped into position, asshown inFigs. 2 and 4. The seats proper 23 are removed and the seat back 12turned upon its hinge upwardly until it is substantially parallel withthe floor, being held in such position in any suitable manner,preferably by means of the hinged brace 27. This hinged brace ispreferably at the outer edge of the seat. To support the inner edge Iemploy the sliding shafts '28 on the under side of the'seat back, thatshaft having the offsets 29adapted to engage into sockets 30 in the sideof the car when turned at right angles to the normal condition, asplainly shown in Fig. 3, thus not only serving as a support for theinner edge of'the outer end of-the upper berth, but also looking theupper berth tothe side of the car to prevent possibility of lateralmovement. One of the upholstered seats 23 is now placed with theupholstered portions of the seat back complementary parts of themattress for the upper berth. I preferably use aside rail 31 forthe'upper berth having downward extending arms 32 detachably engaging insockets 33, as shown in Fig. 2. The sections 44 of the front of the seatframe are turned into paralthese sections of the adjoining seats areconnected together by connecting straps 34, having pins 35 engaging insockets 36. Thus it will be seen that the two opposite seats areconnected together in a single frame to form the necessary berths. Theend section 25 of the mattress is removed and inclined blocks which arestowed in the seat frame, as shown in Fig. 7 are set in the bottom ofthe seat, while notched strips 46 extend across the space between thebottoms of the adjoining seats. The two end sections of the mattress arenow placed in position upon the inclined blocks and the connectingstrips and the remaining seat cushion placed between their ends, thethree sections forming the mattress for the lower berth. The blocks 45may be adjusted longitudinally to give a greater or less inclination ofone end of the mattress, so that the occupant may have his head raisedor lowered as desired. Both mattresses are now covered with the usualblankets and over this I preferably extend a rubber cloth cover 37 inthe lower berth, having eyelets 38 and engaging hooks 39, forming asmooth clean covering for the entire mattress, and which I have found tomake much more comfortable sleeping than where the occupant liesdirectly upon the blankets. Upon the upper berth a similar cloth 40covers the blankets having eyelets 41 and engaging hooks 42.

The berths may be separated from each 2 other in any desired manner, themeans I preferably employ consisting ofcurtains 43 at each end. Thesecurtains may be made of cloth with metallic lining and firmly secured inposition, so that each berth will be as private as may be desired.

What I claim as my invention is- 1. In a sleeping car, the combinationwith a car, of a convertible chair constructed and adapted to beconverted into sleeping berths,

a pivotal slidingconnection between the chair and car, and a lock forsaid connection substantially as described.

2-. In a sleeping car, the combination with a car, of convertiblechairs, means forconnect: ing the chairs together in pairs to form asleeping berth pivoted adjustable connections between chairs and car,and locks for said connection substantially as described.

3. In a convertible chair and sleeping car, the combination of movableseats, meansfor securing them to the carbody in their adj usted positionand lockin g means connected with one of the seats for connectingthemtogether in pairs to form a sleepingber-th frame, substantially asdescribed;

upon the extensions 14 (see Fig. 2) and forms 4. In a convertiblechairand sleeping car,

the combination of movable seats, means for :securing them to the carbody in pairs oppoisitely arranged, and locking means carried fby one ofthe seats for connecting the pairs together, each pair being constructedand j adapted to be converted into sleeping berths, substantially asdescribed.

lel relation with each other and the ends of 5. In a convertible chairand sleeping car,

:the combination of movable seats arranged Tin pairs, locking means forconnecting them together, means for converting each pairinto L asleeping-berth frame, and a detachable connection between said frame andthe car superstructure, substantially as described.

6. In a convertible day and sleeping car,

thecombination of seats, having seat backs hinged thereto and adapted tobe supported in a horizontal position from the top of the frame back, toform ends of the upper berth and separable upholstered seats adapted toform the middle section thereof, substantially as described.

7. In a convertible day and sleeping car, an upper berth comprising theseat backs hinged to the frame back and adapted to be supported in ahorizontal position from the top thereof, and having extensions on theiredges, and an upholstered middle section removably supported on saidextensions, substantially as described.

8. In a convertible seat and sleeping berth, the combination with aconvertible seat section, of a mattress or upholstered bed, and meansfor adjusting an end of the mattress consisting of detached andseparated inclined blocks adapted to be placed below the mattress and onthe seat section, substantially as described.

9. In a convertible seat and sleeping berth, the combination of the seatbacks hinged to the frame and adapted to be moved and supported in ahorizontal position, a middle section between the ends thereof, andmeans for raising or lowering the hinged end of the backs, substantiallyas described.

10. In aconvertible seat and berth,the com bination of the seat backhinged to the frame and adapted to be moved and supported in ahorizontal position to form the end sections of the upper berth, and ofjointed folding braces hinged at opposite ends to the frame and the endsections, substantially as described.

11. In a convertible seat and berth, the combination with a movablechair frame of the seat backs hinged to the frame and adapted to bemoved and supported in a horizontal position to form the end sections ofthe upper berth, and of a locking connection from said sections to theside of the car to lock the same from oscillation, substantially asdescribed.

12. In a sleeping berth, the combination of the oppositely arrangedmovable seat frames, of strips connecting the frames and a mattresssupported on said strips, substantially as described.

13. In a sleeping berth, the combination of the oppositely arranged seatframe, of removable front boards therefor, strips connecting the framesand resting at their ends upon the bottom of the seat frame, and ofmattress sections resting upon said strips, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I alfix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN KREHBIEL.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM N. BREWER, R. S. Boom.

